


Harry Potter and The Muggleborn Slytherin.

by EmberWrites



Series: The Muggleborn Slytherin [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, F/M, Fanfiction, Harry Potter References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-05-19 04:49:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19349818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberWrites/pseuds/EmberWrites
Summary: You know the story of Harry Potter, the reputation of slytherin... But what if the story was told from the perspective of a slytherin, a character who was friends with the golden trio. A slytherin who was a muggleborn. A deeper look into the lives of slytherins.





	1. A Muggle Girl In A Wizard World

**Author's Note:**

> Everything may not be exactly correct. I’m not claiming it is, but I did it as accurate to the movies with a bit of the book sprinkled in while naturally adding my OC in. I am a slytherin and wrote to the best of my ability her slytherin personality. I’m a huge potter head so please enjoy this, I poured my heart into it. I’ll try to update the chapter as soon as I can. Thank you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivy, a mudblood, becomes introduced to the wizarding world. She is thrown headfirst into the life of a Hogwarts student and learns to deal with making friends, fighting bullies and getting situated.

Normal. Ordinary. Boring. These were things I thought my life were and always would be. That was until I got my Hogwarts letter in the mail. I was a witch apparently? 

My muggle parents were cautious, they weren’t sure what to think. But after some convincing I found myself escorted by my aunt who was a witch to get my belongings. I don’t know how I never noticed she had magic... Not that we were necessarily close. But now that she knew what I was, she made it a point to come and help me out. 

“Go on, go in.” She waved me into the store, promising the experience was better alone. I walked up to the front. 

“Um, excuse me?” I asked looking around. A rustle Of papers and an older man with white hair stepped out from behind a shelf. He gave off the air that he was a kind soul with ages of experience.

“I don’t exactly know what I’m doing?” I admitted. I hadn’t entirely been listening to my aunt ramble about wizard stuff.

“My dear, none of us in this life do.” He laughed with a warm smile. He picked up a stack of boxes and brought them over. “Pick one up and give it a go.” 

I opened the first box. I waved the wand like I’d seen in movies. A lamp fell off a shelf. Sparking. “Bloody Hell!” I threw the wand down in fear and surprise. 

“Nope... Try another.” 

“No way! Not if I’m going to explode your whole shop or something!” I backed away unsure of what I was doing. 

“Give it another go. Trust me.” He promised looking into my eyes comfortingly 

I gulped and grabbed the next. Nothing happened before I felt a sudden ease of knowing I needed this wooden stick thing. Wand. That’s it. I thought ruining the moment. 

“Ah, there it is.” 

“Brilliant!” I smiled. 

“Hollywood, dragon heartstring, 12’’ flexibility. A mighty fine wand for a fine witch. Have a good year at Hogwarts.” 

I walked out to my aunt who picked up the wand from my hands excitedly. 

“Ohh its beautiful! This, this is your new best friend.” She gave it back before we walked into a store full of creatures.

“Pet time!” She clapped excitedly. 

I saw almost instantly what I wanted. A black cat with a quirky brown spot over its ear and eye. I picked it up.

“Hello sir Grove.” I smiled double checking I’d named it for the right sex.

After the items had been purchased, we rushed to King’s Cross station. 

I looked around in confusion. “Platform What now? Are you absolutely positive?” My aunt nodded in response to my question. I looked at the column between platforms 9 and 10. Before I understood what was happening, my aunt pushed me into the column. 

On the other side, was another platform. I looked at the sign. ‘Platform 9/11’ I couldn’t believe it. Magic, was absolutely brilliant. 

“Move aside.” Some rude kid with blonde hair shoved past me almost knocking me over.

“Oi! Who do you think you are? You can’t just go around acting like everyone’s in your way!” I yelled after him. He turned around. 

“Everyone IS in my way.” He retorted before walking off to the train.

How could I argue with that? Sometimes I felt the same way if I was honest.

I shuffled into the train, looking for an empty compartment. It seemed every seat was filled. Finally, I found one with only two students who seemed to be my age and sat down next to the one with the round glasses.

The red-haired boy across from us looked around awkwardly before speaking to the boy next to me.  
“I’m Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley.” He introduced suggesting he already had briefly met him. 

“I’m Harry, Harry Potter.” The boy next to me responded. 

Ron gasped. “So-So it’s true?” He sat agape and I wondered what was going on. Who was his Harry Potter? 

I looked at them in confusion.

“I mean, do you really have the scar?” He continued. 

“Oh yeah.” Harry nodded lifting up his bangs to reveal a small lighting bolt shaped scar. Again, odd. 

“I’m Ivy Knight and I have no idea what’s going on.” I managed to get in, entirely confused. 

“Confused about what?” Ron asked with rather dramatic arm gestures. 

“What’s the big deal about being Harry Potter? Are you a celebrity of some sort?” I asked Harry hoping for a straight answer. 

“Well I Uh-“ Harry started before being interrupted by Ron. 

“BIG DEAL? Have you been living under a rock or something? Harry Potter! The boy who lived?”

”Doesn’t ring a bell.” I shrugged. Then it came to me. “Wait, my aunt talked about you. You defeated that hehumusnutbenaym guy right?”

”Voldemort.” Harry nodded. “And I was only a baby. I don’t really know what I did.” 

“Don’t just say his name like that!” Ron gawked. 

“Voldemort? Voldemort?” I teased. 

“Mental you are! Seriously, where’d you come from?” Ron asked somehow his voice squeaking higher with every new reason for him to be dramatic. 

“London. My whole family are um, muggles.” I explained. “My parents didn’t even know my aunt was a witch until I got my letter. I have no idea what I’m getting into and I feel very far from home.” I started to panic slightly. 

“Ohh, that explains it.” Ron sighed. 

Soon, a trolley came by the compartment, full of delicious smelling sweets. 

“Anything off the trolley, dears?” The woman asked who had been pushing the cart, adjusting her candy striped apron. 

Ron held up a sandwich that looked like mushed sand more than actual food. “No thanks, I’m all set.”

Harry pulled out some coins from his pocket. Seriously, who was this guy? “We’ll take the lot.”

”Whoa!” Ron gasped excitedly. 

After the candy was divided, I opened the container of jelly slugs and took a bite. It tasted sweet, but the texture almost made me spit it out. It was so slimy. 

“Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans?” Harry asked inquisitively peering at a box. 

Ron looked up from his pet rat. “They mean every flavor! There’s chocolate and peppermint, and there’s also spinach, liver and tripe. George swore he got bogey flavored one once.” 

Harry out the box down and began to open a chocolate frog which started another conversation between him and Ron, something about collectible cards and a dumb door.

I grabbed the every flavor beans. Couldn’t be that bad. I plopped one in my mouth. I swallowed and coughed. It tasted like rotten eggs.

Then, I heard a conversation about a spell and I looked up. 

Ron cleared his throat to try some spell on his rat. At that time, a girl opened the door and peered in. She had some of the bushiest hair I’d ever seen. 

“Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville’s lost one.” She explained looking tired from rushing about in pursuit of some kids pet.

Ron shook his head no. She looked down at his wand. “Oh, are you about to do magic? Let’s see it then!” 

Ron cleared his throat again and performed a rather dull sounding spell which in turn did nothing. 

After a short exchange the girl sat down in front of Harry and performed a spell that fixed his glasses. 

“Brilliant.” I applauded, happy to see some magic in action. She nodded thankfully then did a double take to Harry. Here we go again... 

“Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter!” She gawked. “I’m Hermione Granger and you are?” She looked so unimpressed with Ron, I stifled a laugh. His mouth was full of candy when he replied which made it even more pitiful.

”and I’m Ivy Knight.” I quickly added in wanting to be friends with this girl. With all that knowledge, I bet that she was in an amazing wizarding family that had probably been going to Hogwarts for years.

After another small exchange she left the compartment and I quickly put on my robes and as we pulled into the station. 

We followed a large hairy man to some boats which started us towards a massive castle. It was beautiful. Suddenly, more than nervous, I felt a sense of peace, a part of me saying I really could fit in there. 

Once we were escorted inside and gathered at the bottom of a staircase, the boy I assumed was Neville grabbed his toad after a professor had started welcoming us. She told us this supposed sorting of houses would take place soon before leaving. 

A kid walked up to Harry standing next to me, it took my seconds to recognize him. The boy who’d shoved past me at the platform. “It’s true then, what they’re saying on the train? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts.” He paused for dramatic effect, leaving the students to whisper which made me roll my eyes. He continued. “This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I’m Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” 

Ron snickered at the boys name.

Draco took this as an opportunity to insult Ron and his family in front of the other students. He turned back to Harry, “I think you’ll find some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He promised extending a hand. Thankfully, Harry backed up, rejecting the offer. 

The Professor in green who’s name I was still trying to learn told us it was time. We went through the doors of the great hall and I couldn’t help but gasp. The ceiling looked like billions of galaxies spread across the roof. Long tables where the students sat and stared at us with interest. 

I heard Hermione go off about the enchantment she read was used on the ceiling in some Hogwarts history book I’d have to check out later.

I admired the floating candles before gathering with the others at the front of the tables. An older man with a long white beard stepped up to the front of a platform to speak. 

“I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch.” He signaled to a ragged old man with a cat. “Has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you.” Most painful what now? They’re keeping something deadly at a school. That didn’t seem very safe…. I could’ve sworn my aunt had said something about Hogwarts being the safest place in the world. 

McGonagall stepped in the front, “When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger.” I turned to Hermoine who looked on the verge of panic. 

“Oh, no. Okay, relax.” She breathed before going up and sitting on a stool, the odd hat placed on her head. Odd. The hat looked like it had a face. No wait, the hat did have a face! And it was talking!

Ron shook his head, “Mental that one, I'm telling you.”

Harry nodded in agreement.

“Ah, right then...hmm...right. Okay...Gryffindor!” The hat announced. The table with the black and red robes burst into cheers. Hermione jumped off with a smile.

McGonagall read the next name. “Draco Malfoy.” Great. The self entitled jerk. Draco sauntered up proudly. The tattered hat nearly freaked before touching down on Draco's head. “SLYTHERIN!”  
Well that was quick. 

“There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin.” Ron commented looking at Draco as he smiled proudly. That explained it. Some redhead girl went up.

I saw Harry look around and stare at a black haired, pale teacher, looking at him. Harry seemed to be in pain. 

“You alright?” I asked.

“Harry, what is it?” Ron continued after me. 

“Nothing...it's nothing, I'm fine.” Harry promised though I could see that was far from the truth. 

 

“Let's see...I know...Hufflepuff!” They seemed like a nice house. Gryffindor seemed nice enough, I just looked over a few times and didn’t appreciate their sporty swagger. Not my kind of thing. 

 

“Ronald Weasley.” Mcgonagall called. Ron gulped and walked up. He sat down and the hat was put on.

“Ah! Another Weasley. I know just where to put you...Gryffindor!” The hat yelled out as if he didn’t even consider the other houses for this kid’s family.

Ron sighed with relief at his house placement as he went over and was greeted by red heads I assumed was his family. 

The next was called, “Harry Potter.” Everything went silent. Harry walked up and sat down.

Harry and the hat had an inaudible conversation before “...better be...GRYFFINDOR!” There was an eruption of cheers and Harry went to the Gryffindor table.

About three more students went till my name was called. “I can do this.” I accidentally said aloud. I blushed with embarrassment, before shakily sitting down on the stool. 

Everyone was staring. 

I felt like my stomach was turning. I felt like they were all judging me. Which was ridiculous, I mean some might be, but statistically everyone in the room wouldn’t be judging me- I was cut off by the hat. 

“Oh you are an interesting one.” He mused. “Interesting indeed. I could see you in two of these houses for sure… But I know exactly where to put you….SLYTHERIN!” The hat announced, the table cheered as I stood up. The word echoed in my head. 

Wasn’t that the evil house? That’s what Ron had said.

I made my way over, thinking how at least our mascot was a snake. Much more interesting and complex than a lion. 

“Well, hello again.” I snarled realizing I had sat down next to none other than Draco Malfoy. 

“Interesting…” he smiled, amused. “Welcome to slytherin. The best house in the school. Mostly because we are basically all purebloods. Unlike the rest of the houses which are heavily mixed. They shouldn’t even let muggleborns into this school.”

I gulped. 

What did that mean for me? I needed help understanding what to do, but if I asked it would be obvious. I could have course lied and said I was pureblood but, then again, what did it matter to me? 

“Well I’m a muggleborn you stuck up jerk!” I shook my head though I wasn’t sure why it was a big deal. Draco looked surprised. 

“A muggleborn slytherin? That's, rare.” The student next to me gasped. 

“Well, here I am.” I challenged. Before anyone could reply, Dumbledore said a few more words and food just appeared out of nowhere on the tables, and things swooped overhead before I realized they were ghosts. I just sat there and stared around taking everything in forgetting to eat before I sniffed some of the food in front of and dove in. 

Out of nowhere, a ghost that looked like a French pirate floated atop our table. 

“That’s the Bloody Baron, our house ghost.” The girl next to me explained, understanding I didn’t know what was going on. 

“Thanks.” I nodded turning my attention back to the food. 

An older slytherin lead us away from the great hall when we were finished. We went to the right side of the entrance of The Hall, and gathered around the door.

We walked inside and in front of us was a stone staircase leading downward. We exited the stairs to a bare stretch of stone wall. 

“Pureblood.” The older slytherin said which opened a passage leading into a room. 

“Guess you’ll have to change that password.” I teased, a few slytherin’s shoving by me as apparently it didn’t take long to tell everyone there was mudblood slytherin at Hogwarts. 

When I got to the entrance, three slytherins stood in front of it. 

“Sorry, only purebloods allowed.” The first snorted snobbily. Oh yay, this was gonna be such a fun school. 

“You act like I care.” I shrugged and sat down outside against the opposite wall.

I didn’t even know what was in there, or what I was doing there. Clearly no one wanted me to go through there anyway. The slytherins turned around and the passage closed. 

The minute it closed, I felt a rush of emotion. An overwhelming feeling of being alone. Not because they left me. But because I was in a place where everything was foreign, it was a lot harder to take in than I had expected.

I shook off feeling. 

I had to keep going if I was going to survive this place. I got up and walked back to the entrance, “pureblood.” I sighed walking in after it had opened. 

Inside, the room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of me, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs. I walked over to a window and saw that the room was underwater as a creature swam past. 

“Fantastic!” I smiled looking out at the water. It wasn’t long till the students were talking about me again. 

“Half Bloods like Millicent I can deal with.” A slytherin said, “but a muggleborn? It’s an outrage! Salazar would have her thrown out and beheaded.” 

I walked over to the group. “Well, here I am. A muggleborn in your school! Gasp, I know, just get over it you stuck up freaks!” I yelled before walking off realizing I had no clue where I was going. 

After asking the slytherin who had let us there where the bedrooms were I went to the girls dormitory where my stuff was and sat on the bed. 

Hours dragged on and I just felt awake. Even a little unsafe. I wandered over to a window and stared out into the water on the other side. I picked up my cat and scratched him under his chin. His warmth and fur comforting me. 

Eventually I must’ve fallen asleep because at one point I looked up and everyone was getting ready for classes.

I hurriedly got up and began to get ready ignoring the dirty looks on my way to class. I was going to do this, I was going to ace every class and make them regret everywhere word they had and would say about me. And most importantly, I was gonna have fun. I mean, I was a witch after all. I had magic, every book reading muggle’s dream


	2. Brewing Trouble and Racing Brooms.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of Ivy’s classes and finds herself overwhelmed by school, magic, and the childish rivalry between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attempting to add this OC in as naturally as I can my dudes.

Morning. I walked to the transfiguration class holding my head as high as I could. No one was going to take this experience away from me.

After I had sat down next to Hermione, I looked around. 

“Where’s Ron and Harry?” I asked noticing the class was about to start. 

“I don’t know, Mcgonagall will have their heads if they don’t show up soon.” Hermione shook her head at their tardiness. 

“Where is she?” 

Hermione pointed to the cat on the desk. 

“How?” I smiled with interest. 

“It’s a spell.” 

Suddenly, Ron and Harry raced in looking out of breath. 

“Whew, amazing, can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?”

Mcgonagall the cat jumped off the desk and turned back to human.

“That was bloody brilliant!” Ron exclaimed in amazement. 

Professor Mcgonagall blushed slightly.  
“Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Maybe if I were to transfigure Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocket watch, maybe one of you would be on time.”

“We got lost.” Harry explained awkwardly. 

“Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats.”

The class was hard, I found myself constantly asking Hermione for help to understand different magic terms and words. I was lucky to have her as a friend. 

On our way to potions class, I was shocked to learn that she herself was a muggleborn. 

“No way! With all that knowledge I thought for sure you were a pureblood!” I gawked.  
“That now makes me want to be in Gryffindor…” I muttered under my breath. 

“Being a muggleborn in slytherin is nothing to ashamed about! Honestly, It’s a change they need. You could change their view of us for the better.” Hermione encouraged although I wasn’t sure I could. I barely knew any of the terms most students threw around. 

We arrived in potions class.  
I sat down with Ron this time. The students chattered, sitting near steaming cauldrons. The door slammed open and the professor in black from the Great Hall came rushing in.

Certainly one for dramatics. I thought. 

“There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to enjoy the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few.” 

He looked at Draco, who smiled. “who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death.” 

Snape saw Harry, writing on his parchment, which I’m sure, in his view, was not paying attention. 

“Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not...pay...attention!” 

Hermione nudged Harry in the ribs. He looked up.

“Mr. Potter. Our...new...celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Hermione’s hand skyrocketed. 

Harry shrugged. 

“You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?”

Hermione's hand shot up again.

“I don't know, Sir.” Harry looked down awkwardly feeling the class’s eyes on him. 

“Why don’t you ask Hermione, she seems to know.” I interrupted. 

Snap shot a glare at me. “I’m not asking miss Granger, am I?” He snarled turning back to Harry. 

“And what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?”

“I don't know, Sir.”

“Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?” 

I looked over as Draco laughed at the comment. 

Who was this teacher? How could he just harass Harry like that? But looking into his cold eyes I couldn’t be mad.  
He looked so sad, like he carried a burden with him as he walked. 

In the great hall, about midday. We sat at our tables doing homework. 

At the slytherin table I didn’t have Hermione to help me. But she’d left me a stack of notes to help me get through the assignments. 

I was writing peacefully till…

Something exploded, there was laughter amongst the students. 

“Seamus tried to turn his water into rum again!” The slytherin girl who’d made it a point to be nice to me laughed. 

“Sorry, what’s your name?” I asked hoping she’d stay friendly to me as a friend in slytherin was something I could use. Especially for help academically. 

“Tulip, Tulip Haynes. But most people just call me Libby” She introduced writing on her own parchment.  
“I thought that was pretty wicked how you stood up for yourself.” 

“Oh, thanks. I just was tired of their attitude.” 

Suddenly, a flock of owls started to fly into the hall from the rafters above.

“The mail’s here!” Libby smiled looking up at the owls flapping about the hall. 

They soared by, dropping parcels to students. 

A single letter dropped in front of me. “Must be from my parents!” I smiled excitedly opening it instantly. 

“Writing you about their boring muggle lives are they?” Draco sneered, I hadn’t even realized he had sat near me. I found it odd. If he didn’t like me, why didn’t he just sit somewhere else?

“What’d they say?” Libby asked to block out Draco’s comment. 

“Oh. It’s just my aunt saying she was excited to hear I made it into slytherin.” I put it down with disappointment.  
I really thought my parents would’ve wrote me. 

“I’m sure they’ll write you tomorrow.” She promised.  
“But I mean, you fit right in, most slytherin families don’t write their kids anyway.” 

Great. At least we had something in common. 

I looked over at Draco who’d gone strangely silent. I expected a snide look but found he was staring off as if something we had said had affected him in some way. He looked sad. 

“You okay there?” I asked cautiously. 

“Shut up you filthy mudblood!” He snapped getting up and walking away. 

“Maybe I do have “dirty” blood. So what?” I asked snobbishly. 

Libby laughed. “You really don’t care, do you?”

“Not at all.” I shrugged. 

“Can I read that?” I asked looking at the newspaper by Libby’s hand. 

“Of course.” She handed it over and watched my expression as I realized just like the paintings in Hogwarts, the wizards newspaper pictures moved too. 

I was curious to see what news wizards had. The first page was interesting enough. 

‘Gringotts Bank broken into. Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day.’

“Gringotts is supposed to be even safer than Hogwarts. Times are really changing I guess.” Libby said reading it over my shoulder. 

“So far back home seems safer than Hogwarts…” I muttered. 

Outside, flying practice. Gryffindor and Slytherin, were lined up in two rows with brooms by our sides.  
The teacher, who I learned the name of was called Madam Hooch, came down the line. She had spiky short hair and strange hawk yellow eyes.

“Good afternoon, class.” She welcomed her voice booming across the grass field. 

“Good afternoon, Madam Hooch.” We replied back in unison. 

“Good afternoon, Amanda, good afternoon. Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, Up!”

“Up!” Harry's broom flew into his hand. “Whoa.” 

I found myself glance among others jealousy. 

“Up!” A broomstick flew up and I looked up to see Draco smugly grinning. 

That made me want to try harder. “Up! Up! Up!” I yelled aggressively. 

I felt Draco’s judging eyes on me. 

Breathe. I thought. Just breathe. “Up.” I closed my eyes.  
Maybe it didn’t work for muggleborns?  
Then I felt it hit my hand.  
“HA!” Jumped up and down with excitement before realizing the jumping was a bit much. I was just really happy I had gotten it. 

“With feeling!” Hooch encouraged

“Up. Up. Up. Up.” I heard Hermione yell, sounding as frustrated as I had. 

“Up!” Ron’s broom flew up and conked him on the nose “Ow!”

Harry burst into laughter. 

“Shut up, Harry!”

“Now, once you've got a hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end.”  
We mounted on our brooms.  
“When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle...3...2…” 

Neville immediately lifted off. He looked terrified. 

“That can’t be good…” I muttered. 

“Mr. Longbottom.” Hooch frowned. Neville began soaring away, “M-M-Mr. Longbottom Mr. Longbottom!”

“AHH!” Neville screamed in horror. 

“Mr. Longbottom!”

He soared away, “Down! Down! Ahhhh!”

More yelling commenced at the students scrambled to figure out what to do. 

He soared through the sky and hit a wall, conking along it and then swooping off. All the while, screaming. He began to zoom back towards us. Hooch held out her wand to stop him.

Neville approached. We ran out of the way. Neville went right above us and up a tower. 

Neville screamed as he zoomed past a statue of a man with a sharp spear. Neville's cloak caught on it. He was flipped off the broom and hung there. He wavered then the cloak ripped, and he fell, catching on a torch, but then slipped out and fell to the ground. 

Hooch ran through the group to him. 

“Poor kid.” I sighed as I had barely known him but he always seemed to be getting himself into trouble. 

Hooch helped him up “Oh, oh, oh, oh dear. It's a broken wrist. Tch, tch, tch. Good boy, come on now, up you get.” 

Hooch began to lead Neville away with her. “Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say, Quidditch.” She commanded before walking off with Neville. 

Draco snickered and tossed up Neville’s remembrall, “Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his-“

“Oh shut up malfoy!” I interrupted storming up to him. 

“Give it here, Malfoy.” Harry walked in front of me like I wasn’t there, focused on Draco. 

I could tell that was a very Gryffindor thing to do. 

“No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find.”

He hopped on his broom and soared around the group, then through making the students dive out of the way. 

I tried to smack the knob of his broom, but was too far away. 

“How 'bout up on the roof?” He soared off and hovered in the sky. “What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?”

Honestly, I was starting to get annoyed at their rivalry. It was so childish. 

I shook my head. “What idiots.”

Harry grabbed his broom and ran to get on it. 

Hermione stopped him.

“Harry, no! You heard what Madam Hooch said! Besides, you don't even know how to fly!”

Harry took off. 

“What an idiot.” Hermione sighed. 

“No kidding. Do they want to get expelled?” I joked looking at the scene above. 

I could see Harry in the air, across from Draco.

They were arguing like children, again. 

Harry made a dash for him, but Draco twirled around his broom in a three sixty rotation.

Draco threw the Remembrall into the air.

Harry zoomed after the ball, speeding towards a tower. Just as he was about to hit a window, he caught it, and then headed back to the group. 

We instantly cheered and ran to see him.

“That was wicked Harry!” I praised giving him an encouraging pat on the back. 

Suddenly, Professor Mcgonagall ran out. “Harry Potter? Follow me.” Harry sullenly followed her. 

Draco and his goons laughed. 

“Draco get over yourself! Can’t you be nice to people for one second!” I yelled at him tired of him ruining the enjoyable moments I was experiencing. 

“Can’t you not comment after something I say for once?” He retorted. “Bet you mudbloods cant even ride a broom properly!”

“Want to test that?” I challenged, heated, contradicting my earlier statement. 

“Ivy.” Hermione started before I hopped onto my broom and zoomed off. 

I struggled to keep my balance. It was a lot harder than it looked. 

“What do you want a race?” He scowled flying right next to me. 

“Oh.” I accidentally said aloud not realizing that he’d actually followed me. 

“Sure!” I flew back down and landed, not giving him a chance to register I’d already started the race.  
“I won!” I shouted up with a smile. 

“YOU CHEATED” He called down. 

“Slytherins can't cheat with each other. Don’t be ridiculous!” I called with a shrug before walking away. 

 

Afterwards, I met up with Harry and Ron, walking through crowded halls. 

Ron walked eagerly next to us after hearing the news about Harry.  
“Seeker? But first years never make their house teams! You must be the youngest Quidditch player in-“

“A century, according to McGonagall.” Harry explained. 

“That’s fantastic!” I applauded though I had no idea what a seeker was. 

“You should’ve seen Ivy, Harry, Draco laughed after you got hauled off and she completely called him out. Flew around on a broom and beat Draco at a race. Maybe next year you could try for the slytherin team!” Ron suggested excitedly. 

“Funny, you and I seem to have a natural talent for it and we both haven’t the first clue about it!” Harry laughed with sympathy. 

“I don’t even know what quidditch is…”

Two identical red heads approached and walked along next to us. 

“Fred, George, this is Ivy, I have a feeling she’ll make the slytherin team next year.”

“Nice to meet you!” George smiled with a wave. The two seemed mischievous. Smiling like they were coming up with pranks of some sort. 

“Look forward to playing you.” Fred winked. “Also, well done, Harry, Wood's just told us!

“Fred and George are on the team, too. Beaters.” Ron explained clearly wishing he was on the team too. 

George looked over at Harry. “Our job is to make sure that you don't get bloodied up too bad. Can't make any promises, of course. Rough game, Quidditch.” 

More conversation about quidditch I didn’t understand until Hermione jumped up from her work and came to join us. 

Harry looked uncertain, “But I've never even played Quidditch. What if I make a fool of myself?”

“You won't make a fool of yourself. It's in your blood.” Hermione explained. “Follow me.” 

She led us to a trophy case. She pointed at a plaque of Quidditch players. One listed Harry's father as a Seeker.

Ron gasped. “Whoa. Harry, you never told me your father was a Seeker, too.”

“I-I didn't know.” Harry admitted. 

“That’s Brilliant! You’re bound to do great!” I encouraged. 

And who knows, maybe Ron was right, maybe I really could make the team someday.


	3. A Troll, A Charm, and A Broom.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivy now has a stable set of friends. Friends she trusts. What happens when they tell her a secret they’ve found in Hogwarts? On Halloween it all seemed fine and happy until something was let into Hogwarts and later, a quidditch match between rival houses almost goes terribly wrong.

The next day, Libby and I walked down the hall towards charms class. 

“Umm. Ivy, can we talk to you for a second?” Harry asked, Hermione and Ron behind him looking worried and excited at the same time. 

“Sure,” I turned to Libby.

“See you at class.” She waved before walking ahead to some of her friends. 

Hermione took a deep breath the way she did before explaining a fact or word. “So, last night on our way back to our common room, the stairs changed last minute on us and we were forced to go into the third floor corridor. Which yes, we know is off limits. Anyway, Filch was there so we quickly went behind a locked door and found a massive three headed dog, we just barely escaped. But we think the dog is guarding something. The question is what?” 

I took a minute to process. “Interesting. Why would they keep something that needed to be guarded by something that dangerous…” 

“That’s what we want to find out.” Harry nodded in agreement. 

 

We went to charms class. The professor was very short, and was standing on a bunch of books.

“One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation the ability to make objects fly. Uh, do you all have your feathers?” 

Hermione raised hers. 

“Good. Now, uh, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing, hmm? The swish and flick. And enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then.”

“Wingardium Levio-saaa.” Draco pronounced from behind me, frustrated when his feather didn’t move. 

I gave it a few goes, but found it hard to figure out how to pronounce it correctly. 

“Wingardrium Leviosar.” Ron incorrectly said the spell while whacking his wand numerous times.

“Stop, stop, stop. You're going to take someone's eye out. Besides, you're saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar!” Hermione corrected holding up her own wand. 

“You do it then if you're so clever. Go on, go on.” Ron replied in annoyance. 

I looked over expectantly, I wanted to learn how to do it too. 

Hermione straightened up and swished her wand.  
“Wingardium Leviosa.” The feather glowed and lifted up. 

Ron put his head on his books dejectedly.

I couldn’t help but laugh. She really was brilliant. 

Flitwick looked over. “Oh, well done! See here, everyone! Ms. Granger's done it! Oh, splendid!”

 

Seamus began swishing at his feather and I couldn’t wait to see the outcome we all knew would come.  
“Wingard Levosa. Wingard Levosa.”

BOOOM!!! Seamus' feather exploded. Flitwick gasped in surprise almost falling off his stack of books. 

“I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor.” Harry stifled a laugh. 

 

Libby and I saw Neville, Harry, Ron and Seamus were walking through the courtyard and picked up my speed to catch up to them. 

“It's Leviosa, not Leviosar. Honestly, she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!”

Hermione bustled past, sniffling.

“I think she heard you.” Harry sighed looking at Ron. 

Ron shrugged, not caring. 

“Ron!” I yelled having caught up to them. “You insensitive-“

Libby pulled me back slightly as she’d gotten used to my short temper. 

I calmed down slightly. “Ron, next time you see her, you better say sorry.” I warned walking off with Libby. 

 

Nighttime, in the great hall. It was Halloween. Everyone was eating an assortment candy, and Jack O'Lanterns were keeping the place lit. 

Their customs were way more fun than muggle ones. I didn’t think Hallows Eve could get better. But apparently at Hogwarts it could. 

Then again, everything was better at Hogwarts. 

Suddenly, Professor Quirrell came in flying into the room, screaming.  
“TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!” He paused and there was utter silence.  
“Thought you ought to know.” He fell over and fainted. 

For a moment, the room was silent, and then everyone freaked, screaming and running.

“SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE!” Dumbledore yelled. Everyone stopped.  
“Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories.  
Teachers will follow me to the dungeons.”

I walked up to our prefect nervously as we made our way to our common room. 

“Um, shouldn’t we not be going to the dungeons? Where the troll is?” I asked with concern. This school certainly had a strange idea of the word safe. Maybe they needed a dictionary. 

The prefect didn’t have a response. 

“Please, like they care about us.” Marcus flint scowled. 

Then it came to me, Hermione didn’t know about the troll. 

I walked slower than everyone else until I was behind them. I took off running. I had to make sure she was safe. 

Then, I stopped in my tracks. There was a grunting noise. 

I ran into a doorway smacking into Harry and Ron. 

A large, ugly troll thunked into a room.

“He's going into the Girl's Bathroom!” Harry whispered worriedly. 

“Really? I couldn’t tell?” I retorted, sarcasm, my defense when I was afraid or nervous. 

We ran over as fast as we can. 

There was a crashing noise, Hermione screamed. I bursted into the bathroom and Harry ran in front of me, again. 

“Hermione, move!” He yelled. 

The troll smashed the remaining stalls it hadn’t gotten to yet. 

The boys started to throw wood pieces at the troll.

“Seriously?” I asked as the wood bounced off. There had to be a better way to handle the situation. 

“Hey, pea brain!” Ron threw wood and hit the troll on the head. 

Hermione escaped from the stalls, to under a sink, but the troll saw her and went to smash her. It cracked the sink and barely missing Hermione. 

Harry cringed. 

Harry got out his wand. He ran forward and grabbed the troll's club, and was lifted up.

I ran forward with my own wand at the ready, I ducked the troll swinging Harry right at me, before his other arm happen to swing around at the same time. I just barely got out of the way, my wand flew from my hand across the bathroom and I skidded across the floor. 

Harry landed on the troll's head, and was hurled forward, then back, and his wand was jammed the troll's nose. 

Ew. 

I scrambled to my feet towards my wand but I dove out of the way just as the troll almost stepped on me. 

The troll got Harry off its head and was holding him by one leg, upside down. It geared up its club and swiped at Harry. He pulled himself up, then down. 

The troll swiped again.

“Do something!” The troll swiped at Harry

“What?” Ron asked looking absolutely bewildered. The troll swiped again. 

“Anything! Hurry up!”

Ron grabbed his wand. 

Under the sink, Hermione waved her hand.  
“Swish and flick!”

Ron looked over inquisitively. 

I rolled my eyes. “Wingardium Leviosa?”

Ron nodded. “Wingardium Leviosa!”

The club was lifted out of the troll's hand and hovered above its head. The troll looked up, confused, just as the club came crashing back down. 

Ron smiled proudly, “Cool.” 

It hit the troll's head and the troll wavered, then dropped Harry, who crawled away. 

The troll came crashing down, hard.

Hermione approached carefully. “Is it...dead?”

“I don't think so. Just knocked out.”  
Harry grabbed his wand...which was covered in goo. “Ew. Troll bogies.”

Suddenly, McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell came rushing in.

“Oh! Oh, my goodness! E-Explain yourselves, both of you!” Mcgonagall commanded. 

“Well, what it is…” The boys began. 

“It's my fault, Professor McGonagall.” Hermoione started looking down as if her own words slightly pained her. 

The teachers, looked shocked. 

McGonagall gasped. “Ms. Granger?”

“Well no, there’s no need for excuses.” I hadn’t meant I say that aloud. 

I knew hermione was trying to protect Ron from getting in trouble but I could think of a half truth that would work better and ensure we lost no points. 

“We knew Hermione wasn’t feeling well and noticed she wasn’t at dinner, so on my way back I realized she didn’t know about the troll and it seems Harry and Ron had the same idea.” I explained. 

McGonagall sighed. “Be that as it may...it was an extremely foolish thing to do. Three points will be taken from Gryffindor and Slytherin, for not going to your prefects with this information, and your disobedience. As for you all just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. Seven points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck.” 

Snape and McGonagall exited the bathroom, which I thought was strange. Hogwarts really needed to refresh their definition of safe. They’d just left three students with a teacher who didn’t seem confident enough to protect us if it came to it. 

 

The next morning, in the great hall. Libby and I sat eating breakfast. 

“Slytherin against Gryffindor Huh?” I took a large bite of toast. 

“Biggest school rivalry. These games get pretty brutal.”

“I have a feeling we’re to lose with Harry on their team. He seems to be naturally good at everything.” I sighed wiping some crumbs off my cheek. 

“Is that jealousy I detect?” Libby asked with surprise from my sudden change of tone. 

“Oh no. Of course not!” I laughed it off although I knew the truth. 

I was jealous. 

An owl screeched.

I recognized Harry’s owl Hedwig. She carried a very large, long parcel. She dropped it off in front of Harry. 

It seemed everyone’s attention had fallen on him. 

We watched the three open it.

Harry said something in surprise I didn’t quite catch from the murmuring that had broken out from the Gryffindor table. 

“That's not just any broomstick, Harry. It's a Nimbus 2000!” Ron shouted, the Hall burst into chatter. 

I saw him look around wondering who sent it before I saw Professor McGonagall stroking Hedwig. She smiled at Harry who nodded in thanks. 

“He really does get everything…” I accidentally spoke aloud. 

“I knew it.” 

“Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. But I guess he deserves it right? After his childhood, and his parents being taken from him he deserves it.” I convinced myself to try and not be jealous. 

After all I would never wish to have his childhood.  
I couldn’t imagine growing up without my parents. To one day find out everyone knew your name… let alone expected you to be someone you didn’t feel like you were.

Either way, I was excited to see what quidditch was about. 

 

Lee Jordan spoke into a speaker, his voice echoing across the quidditch pit and towers.  
“Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game Slytherin versus Gryffindor!”

I stood up with my house and cheered loudly.

“Thought you were cheering for Potter!” Draco teased.  
“For a Slytherin, you hang out an awful lot with Gryffindor.”

“Leave her alone Draco! Nothing here says you have to like the people in your house, let alone be friends with them!” Libby retorted. 

I smiled with appreciation. I was getting tired of standing up for myself all the time. At least I’d found one good Slytherin friend...

The players took to their positions in the air in a circle. Harry weaved in, highest amongst. He looked down.

“The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game.”

Madam Hooch kicked open the trunk, and the bludgers zoomed out. 

“The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game.” 

The snitch zoomed around each Seeker's head, then disappeared. 

Hooch grabbed the Quaffle.

“The Quaffle is released...and the game begins!”

“Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor!” Lee yelled enthusiastically. 

Watching the sport, I knew instantly. I needed to play. I could feel myself lean forward with intrigue. 

“You okay there?” Libby asked with a laugh. 

“I’ve got to play…” I muttered. 

Marcus Flint dodged people and threw for the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver Wood appeared and whacked the ball away with his broom. He smirked at Flint, who glared. 

Johnson and a Gryffindor I didn’t know the name of passed the Quaffle back and forth as they strategized to score. 

Johnson took it, threw it, and once again scored. 

“Come on Slytherin!” I urged almost jumping from anticipation. 

The Slytherins decided to get messy. They dodged, kicked, and tried to score. 

Once again, Oliver blocked the Quaffle. 

Marcus grabbed a beater’s bat from one and whacked a bludger right at Oliver. 

It hit Oliver in the stomach and he fell to the ground.

There was Booing from the other towers. I felt bad for Wood. He was a pretty decent guy. But I wasn’t about to complain. It may have been a dirty play, but a great play, was a great play. 

Slytherin’s around me laughed. 

The Slytherin members head off. One jumped over George, or Fred, I wasn’t sure which, and scored. 

I jumped up and down clapping and shouting, and my house erupted into cheers. 

Two Slytherins boxed Johnson in and sent her into the capes covering one of the towers. She fell down and was out. 

The crowd booed. 

Slytherin scored once again. 

Suddenly, I could see Harry saw the Snitch. He started to head off after it and then his broom started bucking and turning.

Harry looked frightened trying to get ahold of his broom. 

“What’s wrong with his broom?” Libby asked worriedly trying to get a better look. 

Draco laughed from beside me. 

“I’d like to see you try and laugh if that was you having your life threatened!” I sneered. 

I turned to Libby. “Wizards can’t jinx brooms can they? Like the other stuff we’ve seen?” 

“With the right spell you can jinx most anything!”

Harry was knocked around, then fell, dangling by one arm from the broom.

I leaned forward farther. “Come on Harry…”

“Look!” Libby pointed to Hermione. I turned my head and leaned far to see what she was talking about. 

Hermione was hurrying up a tower. She appeared underneath Snape and touched his cloak with her wand.

A spark ignited and Snape's cloak caught fire. 

Hermione hurried away. 

“She must think Snape did it! I can’t believe she just did that!” Libby gawked. 

Snape knocked the man to the side of him, who fell and knocked over Professor Quirrell. 

Harry’s broom stopped bucking, and Harry climbed back on. 

I breathed a sigh of relief, Libby loosened her clutch on my arm which I hadn’t even realized she’d been holding so tightly. 

Harry rammed into the Slytherin Seeker, then was butted out. He returned, smashing the Seeker again as the Snitch dived. The boys followed the Snitch, but they approached the ground at a fast pace. The Slytherin Seeker backed out, and Harry pulled up his broom as he followed the Snitch, feet above the ground. 

Harry stood up, and stepped forward, trying to grab the ball. He went too far, and toppled off the broom with a yelp, tumbling on the ground. He got up and lurched forward.

“I think he’s gonna puke.” I observed wondering how my own stomach would fare on a broom for that long of a time. 

Harry lurched again and the Snitch popped out of his mouth. 

It landed in his hands.

Lee jumped up.  
“He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!”

Madam Hooch blew a whistle  
“Gryffindor wins!”

I found myself clapping. Libby joined in.  
“Well done! What a match!”

Draco cursed. “No!”

Harry raised the Snitch into the air and the crowd, and his team, cheered. 

Harry’s house jumped up and down with pride.  
“Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor!”

“Harry really is a brilliant seeker.” Libby applauded, blushing slightly. 

“Oh I see. You fancy Harry don’t you.” I laughed. 

She blushed harder. “No! Of course not! Don’t be ridiculous!” She playfully shoved me. 

“I’ll make sure he knows you think he played well.” I snorted, shoving her back. 

“I mean why don’t you hang out with us?” I offered. 

“No. No. You're not my only friend you know.” She reminded. 

I had often forgotten she had friends that didn’t want to hang out with me.  
“Okay, right. Sorry…” I muttered awkwardly. She was even popular. In a different way than I was of course. 

Jealousy. That was something that kept creeping in my mind. I’d have to work on that. I was lucky to have friends that helped each other through anything. 

I looked forward to what the next day would hold in store for me. Secretly, I hoped for more exciting danger. Though, I had a feeling that was unlikely.


	4. Christmas and The Forbidden Forest.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a nice holiday the four finally begin to figure out what the school is hiding.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I walked along with Hagrid. 

Wow. Was all I could think.  
They really did think Snape was behind everything...

Hagrid turned to them.  
“Nonsense. Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?”

“Who knows. Why was he trying to get past that three headed dog on Halloween?” Harry sighed with annoyance. 

“You honestly still aren’t on about that are you?” I asked. 

Hagrid looked surprised. “Who told you 'bout Fluffy?”

Ron turned in surprise, “Fluffy?”

“That thing has a name?” Hermione gawked. 

Hagrid sighed. “Well, of course he's got a name. He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-“

We turned in excitement. “Yes?”

“Shouldn'ta said that. Don't ask any more questions. That's top secret, that is.” Hagrid muttered embarrassed. 

Harry persisted. “But Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it!”

“Codswallop. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher.” Hagrid shook his head. 

Hermione walked faster.  
“Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a curse when I see one. I've read all about them. You have to keep eye contact. And Snape wasn't blinking.”

“Exactly.” Harry nodded in agreement. 

I still just wasn’t sure about their theory. When Hermione set Snape’s cloak on fire he knocked over other people around him. Sure I didn’t like him. But I didn’t think he’d want to kill a student. 

Hagrid gave a deep sigh. “Now, you listen to me, all three of you. You're meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.”

“Nicholas What?” I asked, wondering if this was important information I should know.

“I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. I should not have said that.” Hagrid hurried off. 

Harry looked as confused as I felt, “Nicholas Flamel...Who's Nicholas Flamel?”

“I don't know.” Hermione contemplated. 

 

Finally, it was Christmas time. Hogwarts looked beautiful in the snow the decorations making things cheery. Hagrid, was bringing in a large tree. 

Inside the great hall, students were leaving and ghosts were singing. Hermione and I approached the empty tables, Hermione wheeling a cart.  
We went to Ron and Harry, who were playing chess.

Harry looked down at a piece, “Knight to E-5.”

A piece moved across the board. 

Ron thought for a moment. “Queen to E-5.”

His queen piece walked over to E-5 and smashed the knight away.

Hermione gasped, “That's totally barbaric!”

“Wicked…” I gazed in awe at the animate pieces. 

Ron smiled smugly. “That's wizard's chess. I see you've packed.”

“See you haven't.” Hermione sassed. 

Ron sighed. “Change of plans. My parents decided to go to Romania to visit my brother, Charlie. He's studying dragons there!”

“Good. You can help Harry, then. He's going to go the library for information on Nicholas Flamel.” Hermione suggested. 

Ron shook his head. “We've looked a hundred times!”

“Not in the restricted section...Happy Christmas.” Hermione winked before walking off. 

Ron looked surprised. “I think we've had a bad influence on her.”

I laughed. “She’s finally learning it's fun to break the rules sometimes..”

“Reading isn’t always fun.” Ron complained. 

 

Christmas morning. Libby practically shoved me out of bed. 

“It’s Christmas!” She cheered aggressively. 

“Indeed it is. and I’m finally the same age as you!”

“Your birthday is Christmas?” She gawked.  
“I’ll have to get you another present.”

“Oh no. Don’t, It’s fine.”

We went downstairs. A few other slytherin’s ripping open presents. 

I went down and looked for some from my parents. 

Only one from my aunt appeared. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Have they forgotten about me?” I said it jokingly but a part of me panicked. 

“No presents huh?” Draco teased lounging on the couch. 

“Well, what did you get?”

Draco looked around for something. He was going to lie. Then I realized. 

“They didn’t give you anything?” I asked. 

“My parents don’t believe in presents. Smart people. They know I don’t need them.” He said snobbishly, though clearly apart of it bothered him. 

“Presents and gifts are okay you know.”

“You didn’t go to your parents for the holidays?” I asked. 

“I don’t want to.” He shrugged it off. “You?” He asked back. 

“My parents are on vacation or something.” I stuttered although they’d simply told me they thought it was best for me to stay at Hogwarts so they could have my baby brothers first Christmas together. Without me. Whatever that meant. 

I opened the gift from my aunt. It was a black cord necklace with a silver snake. 

“Watch this. Here. Gift.” I threw it at Draco. 

“I don’t want it!” He tossed it away and it skidded across the floor. 

“C’mon it’s Christmas!” I shook my head. “You’re a real class A jerk.”

“And you’re just a filthy-“

That was it. I’d had enough of that word. I picked up a pile of huge book next to me and threw them at him. 

“Bloody hell!” He scrambled away. 

“Serves you right!” I yelled angrily before walking off to the corridor alone. I found Harry and Ron outside their common room. 

“Woah are you alright?” Ron asked at my flustered look. 

“I threw a stack of books at Draco.”

They laughed with amusement. 

“Oh that’s brilliant.” Ron smiled. “Harry got an invisibility cloak!”

“What’s that,” I thought about it. “Oh wait duh it’s obvious. It turns you invisible. Sounds excellent. What’s with the sweater?” I laughed looking at the sweater with an R on it Ron was wearing. 

“From my mum.” Ron sighed. 

“How did Draco react to having things thrown at him?” Harry laughed imagining it. 

“He scrambled away in terror!” 

“So, are you going to use to cloak to get into the restricted section?” I asked with interest. 

“What else?” Harry grinned. 

 

Awhile later, Harry and Ron told me they’d found nothing. Harry did however find an interesting mirror. 

One night, he took me to it.  
“So I think if you stand there it shows you what you most desire. Or something. For me it shows my parents.”

I stepped in front of it. For a moment I saw only myself.  
Then, the image began to change. I was sitting with a group of slytherin’s. It seemed we had won the house cup.  
They were telling me I was the best and greatest witch to ever come to Hogwarts. 

“What do you see?” Harry asked. 

“My parents have been ignoring me so you know it’s them accepting me as a witch.” I lied. 

“Oh I’m sorry. All goes wrong and there’s always your aunt right?”

“Yeah. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

 

After that it seemed nothing happened until springtime came. 

In the library, Hermione came to the table we were reading at with a massive book. She thumped it onto the table. 

Harry jumped in surprise. 

Hermione gave a deep exasperated sigh. “I had you looking in the wrong section! How could I be so stupid? I checked this out a few weeks ago for a bit of light reading.”

“This is light?” Ron gawked. 

Hermione glared “Of course! Here it is! "Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

“The what” We asked. 

Hermione sighed again in annoyance.  
“Honestly, don't you two read? "The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It will turn any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal."

“Immortal?” Ron looked confused. 

“It means you'll never die.” She explained. 

Ron looked offended. “I know what it means!”

“Shh!” Harry cautioned. 

The three of them had such amusing interactions I enjoyed.

Hermione continued, "The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday!" That's what Fluffy's guarding on the 3rd floor. That's what's under the trapdoor...the Philosopher's Stone!”

We all looked at each other in understanding. 

It was nighttime. We ran across the wet ground to Hagrid's hut. We knocked on the door and it opened.

“Hagrid!” Harry urged. 

Hagrid opened the door and looked surprised. He was wearing oven mitts and an apron,  
“Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today.” He closed the door. 

“We know about the Philosopher's Stone!” We shouted. 

The Door reopened. 

Hagrid’s expression dropped, “Oh.”

We entered into Hagrid's small hut. 

“We think Snape's trying to steal it.” Harry started. 

I held back a comment. Sure Hagrid will believe that!  
Why couldn’t we just say it was somebody. We didn’t know it was Snape.  
Maybe I didn’t entirely want to refute their theory in case they’d call me biased since I was a slytherin and pretty good at potions. 

Hagrid shook his head. “Snape? Blimey, Harry, you're not still on about him, are you?”

Harry again continued as he always did when he was stubborn.  
“Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why.”

Hagrid looked flustered. “Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!”

Harry blanched. “What?”

Hagrid seemed more stressed than before. “You heard. Right. Come on, now, I'm a bit preoccupied today.”

“Wait a minute.” Harry paused. “One of the teachers?”

Hermione almost jumped up.  
“Of course! There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments.”

Hagrid nodded. “That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me.”

Hermione looked at Ron, who was being sniffed in the face by Hagrid’s dog Fang. Ron shuffled away. 

“Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Hehe, not a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that…” Hagrid trailed off. 

A cauldron over a fire began to rattle.

“Oh!” Hagrid hurried over and grabbed something. He jumped around from its heat and put the thing, an egg, on the table. We crowded around. 

It looked like an ostrich egg. 

Harry examined it carefully. “Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?”

“That? It's a ... its um…” Hagrid muttered. 

Ron looked excited. “I know what that is! But Hagrid, how did you get one?”

“I won it. Off a stranger I met down at a pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid off it, as a matter of fact.” Hagrid explained watching the egg cautiously. 

The egg rattled and cracked. Pieces flew off as a dragon emerged. It squeaked and slipped on an egg piece.

“Bloody hell!” I practically squealed from excitement. I loved books with all my heart. I had dreamed of meeting a dragon. It looked over at me and tilted it’s head. 

Hermione looked unsure. “Is that...a dragon?”

Ron was practically jumping now. “That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these in Romania.”

Hagrid looked like a proud mother. “Isn't he beautiful? Oh. Bless him, look. He knows his mummy. Hehe. Hallo, Norbert.”  
The dragon squeaked as it looked at Hagrid.

“Norbert?” Harry questioned. 

“Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?”

Ron laughed. 

“Don't you, Norbert?” Hagrid raised a finger back and forth across Norberts little chin. 

Norbert backed away, hiccuped and blew a fireball into Hagrid's beard.

Hagrid’s eyes went wide. “Ohh! Oooh, ooh, ooh, well...he'll have to be trained up a bit, of course.” Norbert hiccuped. 

Hagrid saw someone looking in the window. “Who's that?” 

Draco Malfoy scampered away.

We hurried back into Hogwarts. 

“Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me the first time I met him.” Harry explained. 

Me too though. I thought. 

Ron shook his head. “It's crazy. And worse, Malfoy knows.”

“I don't understand. Is that bad?” Harry asked in confusion. 

Ron stuttered. “It's bad.”

We stopped as McGonagall, in her nightgown, appeared. 

McGonagall gave a stern look. “Good evening.”

Malfoy appeared smugly beside her.

We went into McGonagall's classroom. We stood in front of McGonagall's desk, while Malfoy was feet away, smirking.

McGonagall frowned in disappointment. “Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken.”

“50?!” Harry gawked. 

“Draco is out isn’t he?” I complained.  
Oh wait same house. 

McGonagall continued. “Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention.”

Five. 

Malfoy nodded, then his smile vanished. “Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said..."the five of us."

McGonagall smiled knowingly. “No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates.”

Harry, Ron and Hermione grinned, and Draco sagged. 

Outside, at night, we were led to Hagrid's hut by Mr. Filch.

Filch gave a fake sigh. “A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming.”  
“You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest.” 

Hagrid appeared with a crossbow. He sniffled. 

“A sorry lot this, Hagrid. Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?” Filch scoffed. 

Hagrid sniffed and sighed. “Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony.”

“Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind.” Hermione did her best to cheer him up. 

“Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all.” 

Filch rolled his eyes. “Oh, for God's sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you.”

“The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are…” a howl sounded “...werewolves!” Draco complained, fear in eyes. 

“I for one am excited…” I muttered realizing that was weird thing to say about detention. 

Filch smiled. “There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that.”  
Filch laughed and walked off. 

“Right. Let's go.” Hagrid nodded. 

In the forest. We walked along a path to a tree. Hagrid stopped, bent down and dipped his fingers in a silver puddle. He pulled out his fingers and rubbed them together. A silver trail smeared with his fingers.

“Hagrid, what's that?” Harry asked stepping forward to look at the strange liquid. 

Hagrid sighed. “What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something.”

I looked over seeing movement in the woods. A cloaked figure moved in the distance then disappeared. I was about to say something when Hagrid continued speaking, distracting me. 

“So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron,  
Hermione, you'll come with me.”  
“And Harry, Ivy, you'll go with Malfoy.”  
Draco grimaced, and Harry nodded. 

“Okay. Then I get Fang!” Draco said quickly. 

Hagrid shrugged. “Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward.” 

Fang whined in response. 

We walked through the forest, Fang leading. Draco holding the lamp.

“You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff.” Draco scoffed. 

Harry stifled a laugh. “If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared.”

“Scared, Potter?!” There was a howl. “Did you hear that? Come on, Fang. Scared…” 

“It’s okay to be scared. I mean who knows what’s out here…” I muttered wondering if I should’ve brought up the strange figure I had seen. 

 

We approached a flat ground with gnarled roots all over. Fang stopped, then growled. 

Harry froze. “What is it, Fang?”

Up ahead, a cloaked figure was crouched over a dead unicorn, drinking its blood. The figure raised its head, silver blood dripping from its mouth.

Harry gasped and put his hand on his scar, in pain. 

Draco ran off in terror. “AHHHHHHHHH!!! AHHH! HELP!!!!!”

The figure slid over the unicorn and rose erecting itself. It advanced towards Harry, who backed up, but tripped. He crawled backwards. 

I found myself frozen in fear as if all feeling had left my body. 

Suddenly, there was the sound of hoofbeats. A figure leapt over Harry and landed near the cloaked figure.

It was a centaur. It reared, and the cloaked figure retreated, flying away.

“Harry Potter, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you.” The centaur spoke and I felt as if movement returned to my body. 

Harry got up. “But what was that thing you saved me from?”

The centaur looked down.  
“Monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life.”

Harry contemplated. “But who would choose such a life?”

“Can you think of no one?”

“Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...that was drinking its blood...that was Voldemort?”

I blinked at his words. That thing, that thing was what the students had been talking about. 

“But I thought Harry killed him?” I wondered in confusion. 

“Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?” The centaur continued. 

“The Philosopher's Stone.” Harry mumbled. 

Suddenly, fang barked. I looked over to see Hagrid, Hermione, Ron and Draco appear.

Hagrid waved. “Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Potter and Ivy. You two alright there?”

We nodded.

Firenze looked back at Harry. “Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck.”

 

“Pureblood.” Draco said shortly without a comment as the passage opened. 

“So, you really think that thing was Voldemort?” I asked. 

“What no? Of course not!”

“What else then?” 

“I don’t, I don’t know!”

“Your father is supposed to be a supporter isn’t he? Does he know anything?”

“Leave me alone!” Draco shouted before heading off to the boys' dormitory. 

I gave an annoyed sigh and headed into my own. 

“Libby!” I shook her awake. 

“What?” She asked tiredly. 

“Woods, detention, Voldemort, half-dead thing?”

“Wait what? Slow down!” Libby and I went into the common room away from the sleeping students. 

We sat down and Libby took me by the shoulders. “You can’t just go around saying that name like that! Or joking about it! There’s weird stuff in that forest. I’m sure it was nothing.”

“Nothing? I saw it though.”

“Do you even know anything about Voldemort!” 

“Well, just what I’ve heard. But I swear I saw him. Can’t you just believe me?”

“Look, I trust you, I do, but you’re still new to this whole world of magic, I’m sure you were maybe attacked by something but people assume the worst in trauma sometimes. And thought that it could be him… No. I just. I’m going back to bed.” She shook her head and walked off. 

I could tell she believed me. She just didn’t want to. Like Draco.  
So who was this Voldemort? I didn’t really feel like going back to sleep. I crept to the library to look for anything on Voldemort. All I found were some news papers. I picked them up and looked for the headline Voldemort which were many of the papers. 

After a long night of reading I crept back into my bed contemplating the so called, “dark lord.” What he did was terrible and I understood why people were too scared to even say his name. 

How Harry was able to defeat him as a child was a mystery to me. I understood why people said he was important. Why they called him, the boy who lived.


	5. Puzzles, Chess, and Potions.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four finally crack the case and make for the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Sometime later. We were walking in the outdoor courtyard.

“I've always heard Hogwarts' end of the year exams were frightful, but I found that rather enjoyable.” Hermione decided smartly. 

Ron sighed. “Speak for yourself. All right there, Harry?”

“My scar. It keeps burning.”

“It's happened before.” Hermione said hoping it was nothing. 

Harry shook his head. “Not like this.”

“Perhaps you should see the nurse.” Ron suggested. 

“I think it's a warning. It means dangers coming. Uhh!” He rubbed his scar and then saw Hagrid across the field, at his hut.  
“Oh. Of course!” He began running toward Hagrid. 

“What is it?” Hermione asked in confusion. 

Harry turned around running backwards to explain his realization. 

“Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one?”  
We approached Hagrid, who was playing an instrument.  
“I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn't I see it before?”  
“Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?”

Hagrid stopped playing his instrument. “I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up.”

“The stranger, though, you and he must have talked.”

“Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him. I said, "After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem."

“And did he seem interested in Fluffy?”

“Well, of course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told him. I said, "The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep.”

Hagrid paused. “I shouldn't have told you that. Where you going?! Wait!”

We took off to McGonagall’s classroom. 

We came in and ran up the aisles between desks. We passed a ghost and stopped at the desk.

Harry started out of breath. “We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!”

McGonagall shook her head. “I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London.”

“He's gone?! Now? But this is important! It's about...the Philosopher's Stone.”

McGonagall looked up from her papers with shock. “How do you know about the stone?”

“Someone's going to try and steal it.”

“I don't know how you four found out about the stone, but I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly.”

 

After exiting McGonagall's class, we walked down the hallway.

Harry continued with his thought after we were a good distance.  
“That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy.”

Hermione caught on. “And with Dumbledore gone.”

Snape suddenly appeared behind us.  
“Good afternoon. Now, what would four young students such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?”

“About to go outside actually.” I said quickly. 

Snape looked skeptical. “You want to be careful. People will think you're up to something.” He walked off. 

“Now what do we do?” Hermione asked. 

“We go down the trapdoor. Tonight.” Harry nodded. 

 

Nighttime. The Slytherin common room. I crept out of my bed. 

“Ivy! What are you doing?” Libby whispered as I walked by. 

“Out for a walk?”

“You’ve already lost us 53 points!” She reminded. 

“Libby, I know I’ve been sneaky and what not, but you need to trust me.” 

She paused for a moment. “Alright. Do you need help?”

“No I’ll be fine. Thanks.” 

 

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I went under the Invisibility cloak, and we snuck along the corridor.

“Ow! You stood on my foot!” Hermione yelped. 

Ron cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

Hermione drew out her wand and pointed it at the door.

Hermione performed the unlocking spell and we went in. 

“Wait a minute...he's....Sleeping.” Ron observed. 

The three headed dog snorted out and the cloak flew off. 

Harry looked around. “Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp.”

We approached the sleeping dog.

“Uh. It's got horrible breath!” Ron complained. 

“Let’s get through that trapdoor and get this over with.” I suggested looking for it. 

Harry pointed at Fluffy’s paw.  
“Come on!” He grabbed paw, which was blocking the door.  
“Okay. Push!”

We strained and moved it. 

We opened the door.  
“I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?”

Hermione nodded. “The harp. It stopped playing.”

Drool from one of the heads came down on Ron's shoulder.

Gross. 

Ron back away. “Ew! Yuck! Ugh.”

We looked up and saw Fluffy standing there. Fluffy barked and growled, thrashing. It broke the harp and dived at us. 

“Jump! Go!”

We jumped through the trapdoor.

I landed on soft mushy vines. 

“Whoa. Lucky this plant-thing is here, really.” Ron sighed in relief. 

“Whoa!” Harry brought attention to the plant which began to move towards us.

I tried to scramble away but a vine sprouted up and wrapped around my leg tightly. 

“Hey!” I shouted at it trying to wiggle free. I tried to pull it off and it wrapped around my arm pinning it to my chest. 

“Stop moving, all of you. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster.” Hermione explained. 

Ron gave a half laugh. “Kill us faster?! Oh, now I can relax!”

Hermione managed a smile as she was sucked down below.

Ron and Harry shouted “Hermione!!”

I instantly stopped movement and just breathed.  
I went downward and landing on a hard stone floor. 

“Ivy!” They yelled. 

I got up and brushed myself off. 

“Now what are we gonna do?!” Ron yelled from above. 

“Just relax!” Hermione yelled to them. 

“It works!” I promised. 

After some more convincing, Harry relaxed and was sucked through.

Ron began shouting more. 

Harry fell through and landed on the hard ground. He stood up. 

Hermione exhaled deeply. “He's not relaxing, is he?”

Harry shook his head. “Apparently not.”

Ron shouted some more before Hermione got an idea. 

Hermione snapped her fingers trying to remember, “Uh! I remember reading something in Herbology. Um Devil's Snare, Devil's Scare, it's deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun! That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight!” She took out her wand and pointed it upwards “Lumus Solem!”

A beam of light shot out. The Snare shrieked and recoiled. Ron fell below.

Ron stood up. “Whew. Lucky we didn't panic!”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology.”

We entered a room filled with strange gold things flying around. 

Hermione looked up. “Curious. I've never seen birds like these.”

“I don’t think they are birds.” I commented squinting to get a better look. 

“They’re keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door.” Harry deducted. 

We came upon a broomstick, suspended in the air.

Ron crept over to the door and took out his wand.  
“Alohomora!”  
He shrugged. “Well, it was worth a try.”

Hermione looked at the keys in distress. “Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be a 1000 keys up there!”

“If the last person here just grabbed it, it would have a broken wing wouldn’t it? From where it was grabbed?” I pointed to one having trouble flying from its broken wing. 

Harry looked at the broom.

Hermione slightly tilted her head in question. “What's wrong, Harry?”

Harry shook his head. “It's too simple.”

Ron shrugged “Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century!”

Harry nodded and grabbed the broom. All the keys suddenly went one direction, right at Harry. He climbed on, swiping at them.

“This complicates things a bit!” Ron shouted. 

Suddenly, I remembered a charm Libby had talked to me about. One used in duels. 

“Flippendo!” I yelled pointing my wand at some keys. The keys were knocked back. 

“Brilliant Ivy!” Hermione pulled out her wand doing the charm to some keys attacking Harry. 

Harry grabbed the key.

He zoomed by and threw the key to Hermione, who caught it and headed for the lock while Harry distracted the other keys. Hermione put it in the lock.

The door opened, and Hermione and Ron rushed through, followed by Harry. We shut the door just as the keys slammed up against it.

We entered a dark room, with broken pieces all around it.

“I don't like this. I don't like this at all.” Hermione muttered. 

Harry looked around. “Where are we? A graveyard.” 

Ron shook his head. “This is no graveyard. It's a chessboard.”

We walked out onto the marble board and flames lit, illuminating the board and giant chess pieces. We followed after him.

We walked toward the door at the end of the room. 

We walked across the board, towards the door. Suddenly, as we reached a line of pawns, the pawns brought up their swords. We jumped and backed up.

Hermione contemplated. “Now what do we do?”

Ron sighed. “It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. Alright. Harry, you take the Bishop's square, Ivy, you’ll take the castle, Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me, I'll be a knight.” 

We took our places. 

Hermione stood anxiously. “What happens now?”

“Well, white moves first, and then...we play.”

A pawn on the other side moved forward. Ron studied the game.

Hermione suddenly had a thought. “Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like...real wizard's chess, do you?”

“You there! D-5!”  
A black pawn moved forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn raised its swords and smashed the black one. Which made us jump. 

“Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!” Ron gulped. 

I had played chess before. But not chess like this. And not when your life could be at stake. 

The game continued. Pieces smashed each other, into dozens of pieces. 

I turned to Harry.  
“Harry, if he makes that move…”

Harry nodded seeing it to.  
“Ron wait-“

“You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King.”

“No!” Harry shouted. 

“What is it?” Hermione asked. 

“He's going to sacrifice himself!”

“No, Ron, you can't! There must be another way!”

Ron turned to Hermione. “Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Ivy, not Hermione, you. Knight...to H-3.”

Ron's horse moved forward, slid and stopped  
“Check.”

The Queen turned and advanced. Ron breathed faster, clutching the steel reins. The Queen stopped. 

SMASH! 

Ron went flying off the horse and landed on the floor, unconscious.

Hermione started walking to him. 

“NO! Don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing.” 

Hermione moved back. Harry walked diagonally in front of the King.  
“Checkmate.”

The King's sword fell onto the ground, victory. 

Harry breathed out and then we ran to Ron.  
“Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on.” Harry suggested. 

“I’ll go with you Harry, you don’t have to do this alone.” I encouraged. 

He nodded. 

Hermione put Ron’s head in her lap.  
“You'll be okay, you two. You're great wizards, you really are.”

“Not as good as you.” Harry smiled. 

“Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery. Just be careful.”

We stepped over the threshold and immediately a fire sprang up behind us in the doorway. It wasn't an ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onwards. We were trapped…

“Here.” I seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles.  
Harry looked over my shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,  
Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,  
Another will transport the drinker back instead,  
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,  
Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,  
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide  
You will always find some on nettle wine’s left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,  
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different sizes,  
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right  
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

I took a nervous breath. “This isn’t magic — it’s logic — a puzzle. A lot of the wizards would probably think it’s some kind of magic thing and they’d be stuck here forever.”

“But so will we, won’t we?”

“I like riddles.” I assured.  
“Okay, Seven bottles: three  
are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple.”

“But how do we know which to drink?”

“Give me a minute.”

I read the paper several times. Then I walked up and down the line of bottles. I had to do it. I just had to. At last, I got it. 

“The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone.” 

Harry looked at the tiny bottle.  
“There’s only enough there for one of us,” he said. “That’s hardly one swallow.”

We looked at each other.

“Which one will get you back through the purple flames?” 

I pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.  
“You drink that,” said Harry. “No, listen, get back and get Ron and Hermione. Grab brooms from the flying- key room, they’ll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I’m no match for him, really.”

“But Harry — what if Voldemort’s with him?”

“Well — I was lucky once, wasn’t I?” said Harry, pointing at his scar. “I might get lucky again.”

“Alright. Just be careful then, and don’t you dare die.” 

“Wasn’t planning on it.” He smiled.  
“You drink first,” said Harry. “You are sure which is which, aren’t you?”

“Positive,” I took a long drink from the round bottle at the end. 

“It’s not poison?” said Harry anxiously. 

“No — but it’s like ice.”

“Quick, go, before it wears off.”

“No dying!”

“GO!”

I turned and walked straight through the purple fire.


	6. Points Awarded, The Conclusion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four have a successful mission before being properly awarded.

Hermione, and Ron, went to the hospital wing. 

I walked down the corridor quickly. Out of nowhere, Mr. Filch grabbed my arm.  
“Still a few more hours till you’re allowed to be up and about!” 

“Hang on this is urgent! I need to get to Dumbledore!”

“Sure you do.” Filch laughed. 

“Now, now, Mr. Filch. I’ll escort miss Knight.”  
Snape said sharply. 

“But-“ Filch started. 

I moved to the side near Snape. So it wasn’t him. I was right. 

Snape escorted me towards Dumbledore’s. 

“So I was right. It wasn’t you. You knew it was someone else… When Harry told me you threatened Quirrell… It was because you knew it was him… You were on your way there now weren’t you?”

“You are observant.” He mused. 

“I solved your potion puzzle.” I said quickly. 

“I figured you would.” 

“I really never doubted you, ya know. You’re a bit rude at times, but I really like potions.”

“Here we are.” He said a password and the gryffin slid to reveal stairs. 

“My word… it’s a Gryffindor.” I stifled a laugh. 

“I’m going to go get your friends, update Dumbledore of the events for me.” He instructed before walking off. 

For once in my life, I felt important. I walked into an office. Paintings and weird things around. A Phoenix perched near a desk. 

Dumbledore suddenly came out of what seemed like nowhere. 

“Excuse me sir.” I started. “So, um should I tell you what just happened?”

“It’s a nice morning isn’t it?” 

“Yeah I suppose. Except the almost dying part. Nice Gryffindor by the way.”

Dumbledore gave a laugh. “It is isn’t it? In all my years at Hogwarts, I haven’t heard that one yet.” 

After talking with Dumbledore and following him to the Hospital Wing, I waited up on a stairwell balcony where Hermione and Ron were talking. We stopped when we saw Harry and leaned over the railing.

Harry looked up. “All right there, Ron?”

“All right? You?”

“All right. Hermione?” Harry shrugged. 

Hermione smiled. “Never better.”

Libby ran into the room. “Are you okay?” She hugged me. 

“Of course!” I promised. “Libby this is Harry Potter.” I said giving a proper introduction. 

“Hi.” He waved. 

She gulped, blushing slightly. “Hello.”

I looked at my friends. I didn’t need all of Slytherin to like me when I had them. 

 

In the great hall all of the students were seated, and green banners with snakes on them were around the ceiling.

Dumbledore, at the head table, nodded to McGonagall.

She dinged her glass and the chatter stopped. Dumbledore rose.  
“Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus. In fourth place, Gryffindor with 312 points. Third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points. In second place, Ravenclaw, with 414 points. And in first place, with 425 points, Slytherin House.”

My table broke out into cheers. I smiled Libby patted me on the back triumphantly. 

Dumbledore continued. “Yes, yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award. To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool intellect when others were in great peril, 50 points. Second to Ivy Knight for excellent deduction skills, 50 points.  
Third, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years...50 points. And fourth, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points.”

Applause. 

“And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom.”

“That seems biased. Dumbledore’s a Gryffindor!” I yelled.  
“Okay I mean, they deserve those points. It’s okay.” I tried to calm down my disappointment. 

“Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of direction is in order.”  
Dumbledore clapped. The green banners changed to Gryffindor red and yellow.  
“Gryffindor wins the House Cup!”

Cheering.

I accidentally knocked over my cup. I had gotten a bit tired of losing to Gryffindor. 

I made eye contact with Harry and gave a nod of respect which he returned. 

 

The outdoor train station. Students were walking around, getting on the train.

“Come on now, hurry up. You'll be late. Train's leaving. Go on. Go on. Come on. Hurry up.” Hagrid urged. 

I grabbed my luggage, Grove tried to crawl out of my arms. I walked with Hermione to an open door of the train. We waved to Hagrid, who waved back. We got in the train. 

Harry joined us, back to the train door where we were waiting.

“Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?” Hermione commented walking further in the train. 

Harry gave a small smile. “I'm not going home. Not really.”

It was a weird statement. But I knew exactly what he meant. 

The train whistled and as the train started we waved out the window to Hagrid, who waved back. 

Something in me felt Hogwarts meant something to me. It was a strange feeling. A feeling of belonging. Though I would return home, I had a feeling home wouldn’t mean what it did before. 

No. 

Harry was right, Hogwarts was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the first book in the series. I’ll start the second soon! Thanks for tuning in!


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